Today at Thurmond Eye Associates, a third generation of doctors is treating diseases of the eye and vision problems at six clinics operated by what is probably the Valley’s longest continuously operating ophthalmic practice. Dr. Jack Thurmond opened the ophthalmology practice in a Weslaco apartment in 1962. Last December, Dr. William Gillum, who worked with Thurmond, retired after 30-plus years with the practice.

Thurmond Eye has six ophthalmologists, with specialists in glaucoma, corneas, retinas and pediatric ophthalmology, four optometrists and a total of 150 employees working across six locations.   By Valley standards, it is large group practice, according to managing partner Dr. Wade Graham.  He listed the advantages of a group practice. “Some of it is having a built-in second opinion, a support network and after-hours coverage.  Some of our doctors have been in solo private practice,” and know the challenges.  Larger practices also have more strength when negotiating with insurers.

Graham and the other partners, Dr. Karl Bentley and Dr. Joel George, make management decisions while practice administrator William Bartanowicz runs day-to-day operations.

Why does a medical practice spread across the Valley to other cities? “In our case, the purpose of having multiple offices is so the patient doesn’t have to travel. It’s more of service,” said Graham. Early on, he said, Thurmond recruited sub-specialists to offer a comprehensive package of eye care to patients.   Two of the physicians he recruited were Starr County natives, who attracted patients from their home towns.  That led Thurmond to establish a clinic in Rio Grande City, which is 80 miles from the Harlingen site, which opened in 2014. The newest clinic office is in Edinburg and offers the next generation procedure known as Contoura Lasik.

Expansions also reflect shifts in population density. “When I got here in 2008, we had four clinics and we’ve added two,” Graham said, “because we were approached by primary care physicians who said there was a need in their community.  We were seeing patients coming from these areas.” The practice is open to further expansion, in personnel and sites, because of regional demographics. “Our baby boomers develop or have cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.” In addition, approximately 100,000 Winter Texans fit that demographic and additional patients come from Mexico for treatment.

The doctors rotate through the different offices on a scheduled basis, seeing patients and performing eye operations at dedicated ambulatory surgical centers.  “Nobody does more surgeries than ophthalmologists,” Graham said. The high volume comes down to the facts that people have two eyes and that cataract surgery, for example, can take 10 minutes versus cardiac surgery which can take hours.

“I enjoyed the idea of following patients long term, and I liked doing surgery.  In ophthalmology, you have that mix,” Graham said. “You see a glaucoma patient for your whole career; it’s almost like primary care.”

Most aspects of eye care have seen numerous advances, both in surgical and medical treatment of diseases, he said. Tools of the trade are changing and shifting more to disposable instruments for infection control.

To become an ophthalmologist requires a four-year residency beyond medical school. “About 50% of the current graduates from ophthalmology programs go onto fellowships, which are one- to two-year programs,” Graham said. “In general there are more jobs than applicants. The Valley traditionally has been a hard area to recruit. The Valley has a very high amount of pathology (due in part to diabetes) and a low number of ophthalmologists per capita, particularly when Winter Texans are factored in.” That could change as the UTRGV School of Medicine grows.

More doctors means the need for more staff. Bartanowicz said Thurmond Eye is partnering with South Texas College to develop an ophthalmic technician training program. “Several local practices, including ours, are going to serve as pilots to develop the curriculum. It’s a community effort.” The businesses are also working with STC and the Texas Workforce Commission on courses to upgrade practice employees skills in medical billing and coding, underwritten by a training grant.

For more information, see thurmondeye.com. 

Story by Eileen Mattei also appears in the October 2016 edition of Valley Business Report.